Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
  • B65F3/02—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto
  • B65F3/04—Linkages, pivoted arms, or pivoted carriers for raising and subsequently tipping receptacles
  • B65F3/048—Linkages
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
  • B65F3/02—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto
  • B65F2003/0223—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto the discharging means comprising elements for holding the receptacle
  • B65F2003/023—Gripper arms for embracing the receptacle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F3/00—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
  • B65F3/02—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto
  • B65F2003/0223—Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto the discharging means comprising elements for holding the receptacle
  • B65F2003/024—Means for locking the rim

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a multi-role head for a bin uplift arm, eg; apparatus adapted to enable the uplifting of bins or the like containers (hereafter "bins") and more particularly, although not solely, to a multi role pick up head useful for association with a lift arm (such as a robotic arm that may be mounted from a vehicle for bin uplifting, tipping and return purposes) such as might be used in refuse collection.
• a multi-role head for a bin uplift arm eg; apparatus adapted to enable the uplifting of bins or the like containers (hereafter "bins") and more particularly, although not solely, to a multi role pick up head useful for association with a lift arm (such as a robotic arm that may be mounted from a vehicle for bin uplifting, tipping and return purposes) such as might be used in refuse collection.
• a lift arm such as a robotic arm that may be mounted from a vehicle for bin uplifting, tipping and return purposes
• bins eg. refuse bins, raw material bins, or the like
• Typical types of bin to be encountered have features such as (I) a top or side wall supported central outstand adapted to provide a pivot axis for bin tipping purposes, (ii) a peripheral rim or other outstand member from a wall thereof adapted to be indexed from below (and which optionally may be clamped from above in addition) and or simply a shape and side wall configuration or rimming that lends itself to clamping.
• the present invention relates to a single head arrangement having a capability (because of its more than one role) of picking up a diverse range of bins yet is nonetheless one that when used in, for example, a side loader from a motor vehicle with a top or bottom park feature preferably can present substantially no more fetter to vehicle manoeuvring than do existing single role pick up heads.
• the present invention consists in a versatile pick up assembly for the distal end of a pick up arm (preferably articulated about horizontal pivot axis and robotic), said pick up assembly comprising or including at least two of i) a spaced pair of clamping arms capable in use of being actuated to move from an undeployed condition to a deployed condition and vice versa, ii) a spaced pair of arms each adapted to engage a central top pivot feature of an opposed end or side of an appropriate bin or the like, said arms being capable of being moved from an undeployed condition to a deployed condition and vice versa, and iii) relatively movable comb and reaction jaws, the comb jaw being below the reaction jaw of the jaw pair, the jaw pair being such that at least one is actuable to move from a relatively spaced apart condition to a closer relative condition.
• at least (i) and (iii) are present.
• all of (i), (ii) and (iii) are present.
• said spaced pair of clamping arms (I) are of a wraparound kind each preferably pivoted from the body of the head from which (ii) and/or (iii) are/is also supported.
• said spaced pair of arms (ii) are adapted to engage a male outstand of a suitable bin preferably in a recess or opening of the arm.
• said spaced pair of arms (ii) are each pivoted about a vertical axis from said body but alternatively may be deployed by a pivot axis that is horizontal or may be slightly extendable from an undeployed to a deployed condition.
• said comb and reaction raw pair has a upwardly directed comb as the lower j aw and a complementary reaction j aw that is moveable from an undeployed raised condition relatively downwardly with respect to the comb to provide the clamping effect or limitation of the movement available to an appropriate comb indexing bin.
• said assembly includes hydraulic means to activate the deployment of said wrap around type clamping arms.
• said assembly includes hydraulic means (or other fluid actuated means, eg; air) actuable to cause the moving together and moving apart of said comb and reaction jaw pair.
• said comb jaw can be any jaw of a kind preferably having at least two upstanding members or other contour adapted to engage into one or more recesses, channels or the like of a suitable bin and preferably said reaction jaw is any jaw that co-acts sufficiently to hold any such engagement.
• one only of the comb and reaction jaw pair is actuable and that preferably in one embodiment of the invention is the top reaction jaw yet in another embodiment can be the comb jaw. " Whilst it is possible to move both the comb and reaction jaws economies render that unnecessary.
• each wrap around type clamping arm in one embodiment is adapted to engage on opposite ends or sides of a single bin or the like but in other embodiments may be adapted to provide a lateral containment force on a pair of bins or the like each preferably separated by a dividing member or reaction protuberance carried by the assembly adapted to intersect the space between such pair of bins. See for example our New Zealand Patent Specification No. 511472 and its equivalent PCT specification. The full contents of which is here included by way of reference.
• the present invention consists in a pick up arm assembly of a type to engage and uplift at least one bin, said assembly including a head at the distal end of the robotic arm which has a capability of making at least two different types of interengagement with a bin selected from (1) a wrap around clamping engagement, (2) a bin pivot providing engagement and (3) a substantially vertically moving relative indexing and/or clamping engagement, wherein in an undeployed condition (e.g. stowed or parked condition) the assembly has one or both of the engagement features of (1) and/or (2) more proximate to the distal end of the robotic arm than when either or both (1) and/or (2) are deployed.
• an undeployed condition e.g. stowed or parked condition
• Figure 1 shows a preferred side loading and bottom parking robotic arm partly extended and having at its distal end a multi-role head having in an undeployed condition the means of engagement (I), (ii) and (iii) previously defined,
• Figure 2 is a similar apparatus of Figure 1 but having the arms (ii) deployed to engage the outstands of an appropriate bin to provide for a stable uplift thereof albeit with some tendency to pivot about a pivot axis at or adjacent the top of the bin being uplifted
• Figure 3 is apparatus as shown in Figures 1 and 2 but with the swing out arms and their mount from the body extensions of the head preferably having been removed such that the multi-role head in this case is a duel role head,
• Figure 4 is an elevation of a MGB (the OTTOTM MGB 120) capable of engagement by at least clamps (I),
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of the MGB of Figure 4,
• Figure 6 is one elevation of an OTTOTM MGB 660
• Figure 7 is another elevation of the bin of Figure 6 showing outstands capable of engagement by a complementary feature of at least arms (ii), each of the bins of Figures 4 to 7 possibly lending themself (where necessary) to uplifting by the comb (iii), and
• Figure 8 shows the retractable bin divider "A" than can in addition be incorporated such divider being disclosed in our patent specification filed simultaneously herewith.
• the head Whilst described with a bottom park sider loading arm the head can alternatively be at the distal end of any of the other arms referred to, eg; as a retrofit.
• a pick up head with multiple clamping and/or bin uplift features, a vertically adjustable comb type pick up feature (preferably a clamp) , in conjunction with the single or twin wraparound clamp feature (whether clamping clamp against clamp on a single bin or singly against one of two proximate reaction member separated bins).
• This clamping device can incorporate one or all of the following features; a) a comb adjusting vertically with the comb bar rigid, b) a comb bar adjusting vertically in combination with the comb, c) two air or hydraulically activated arms that enable larger MGB bins with central mounted external pivot points to be collected, and/or d) any, some or all the above with or without additional vacuum assisted clamps.
• the body 1 is mounted to the end of the outer boom fabrication 3 and to the end of the twin levelling link rods 7.
• Each of the mountings of the body 1 to the members 3 and the members 7 is on a pivot axis such that the pivot axes of the connection in one instance with the member 3 and in the other instance with the twin rods 8 can provide control of the orientation of the body 1.
• the spring arm members 2 are mounted to the body 1 by joint pins. It provides a clamping action to grab hold and release a garbage receptacle.
• Two way hydraulically operable cylinders provide for the movement of each arm 2 from the undeployed condition shown in Figure 1 through to a swing around condition whereby, together, they will clamp about an appropriately sized bin.
• Such swing arms can be undeployed by withdrawal back from such an extended outwardly condition back to the conditions shown in Figure 1.
• the vertically pivoted arms 9 as shown in their undeployed condition in Figure 1 and in a deployed condition (but no bin being shown for clarity) have openings or other bin complementary features (male or female) at or adjacent the end thereof. These can receive an appropriate outstanding member each on an opposite side of a bin to enable the uplifting thereof. Such features preferably enable slotting over the bin. See for example Figure 7 where such a bin is shown with outstands 10.
• the deployment and undeployment of the arms 9 is manual whilst in other forms (not shown) it can be under the actuation of an appropriate actuation operable from the vehicle, eg; hydraulic, pneumatic, solenoid or the like.
• the comb and reaction j aw pair comprises the downwardly moveable and upwardly returnable clamping jaw 5 which coacts with the upstanding fixed (relative to the body 1) comb jaw 6.
• the diverse range of bins with which such a pick up head as shown in Figures 1 and 2 can engage include a wide variety of sizes of mobile garage bins including 120 MGBs, 140 MGB and 240 litre MGBs. These can for example be from 120 to 1600 litre bins whether of the OTTOTM brand or otherwise.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Automatic Assembly (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=19928459

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2001
  • 2001-05-02 NZ NZ51147301A patent/NZ511473A/xx unknown
• 2002
  • 2002-05-02 EP EP02738986A patent/EP1399375A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-05-02 WO PCT/NZ2002/000081 patent/WO2002088001A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2002-05-02 AU AU2002311698A patent/AU2002311698A1/en not_active Abandoned

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